Can carrier clip



, June 12, 1962 o. J. POUPITCH 3,038,599

CAN CARRIER CLIP Filed May 2, 1955 United States Patent M 3,038,599 CAN CARRIER CLIP Ougljesa Jules Poupitch, Itasca, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Illinois Tool Works Inc, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 2, 1955, Ser. No. 505,193 7 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) The present invention relates to a novel device for packaging a plurality of containers having rims or beads at their ends, and more particularly to a novel sheet material clip for interconnecting a plurality of containers such as cans and the like in a package which may be easily carried.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel one-piece sheet material clip adapted to interconnect three or more containers or the like arranged about a point so that the rim of each container is adjacent or substantially tangent to the rims of two other containers.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel one-piece sheet material clip which is formed so as substantially to traverse a space between containers arranged in the manner described above and which may be easily applied to the rims of the containers so as to retain the containers in a compact rigid package.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel one-piece sheet material clip of the above described type having partially preformed means which maybe readily initially applied to the rims or beads of containers and which may be easily deformed into secure interlocking relationship with the rims.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a clip member embodying the principles of this invention applied to a plurality of triangularly arranged containers;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the package shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a clip member embodying the principles of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a slightly modified form of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the novel clip member incorporated in the package of FIG. 5.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a sheet material clip member 10 embodying the principles of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. This clip member is particularly adapted to be applied to three cans or containers 12. The containers 12 may be of any known construction having upper end beads or rims 14 and, if desired, lower end rims 16. In this embodiment the containers 12 are generally triangularly arranged, as shown, so that the rim 14 of each container is substantially tangent to the rims 14 of the other containers.

The clip 10 is preferably made from sheet metal and includes a body portion 18 which is adapted substantially to traverse the space between the triangularly arranged containers as shown in the drawings. The body 18 is generally triangular in shape and is provided with concave marginal edges 20, 2.2 and 24 which conform generally with the surfaces of the containers. A pair of tabs 26 and 28 extend downwardly and then upwardly from opposite ends of the margin 20 so as to present terminal edges thereof for engagement beneath the rim 14 of a container as shown best in FIG. 4. Preferably, the upwardly extending portions of the tabs are curved so as to conform 3,638,599 Patented June 12, 1962 closely with the outer surface of the container, and the downwardly extending portions of the tabs may also be curved in a similar manner whereby to rigidify the tabs. Extending upwardly from the margin 20 between the tabs 26 and 28 is another tab 30. The tab 30 has an upwardly extending portion which is curved to conform closely to the outer surface of the rim 14 and a downwardly extending portion adapted to project along the inner surface of the rim 14 as shown best in FIG. 4. Preferably, the tab 30 is initially formed as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4 so that suflicient space is provided between the upwardly and downwardly extending portions of the tab 30 and the terminal edges of the tab 30 and the tabs 26 and 28 to permit the tabs to be easily assembled with the rim of the container. After the tabs have been initially assembled with the container rims, the tab 30 may be readily deformed downwardly to the solid line position in FIG. 4 so that the tabs and the rims are securely interlocked with respect to each other.

The clip member is provided with tabs 32 and 34 and tab 36 extending from the margin 22, which tabs are.

respectively identical to the tabs 26, 28 and 30. In addition, similar tabs 38, 4t) and 42 extend from the margin 24. Thus, the clip member is adapted to be securely interlocked with the upper rims of all three of the triangularly arranged containers so that the containers are held together in substantially abutting relationship. An aperture 44 is provided in the clip body 18. The aperture 44 is provided for receiving a centering pin of a suitable die structure, not shown, used to stamp and form the clip member in a known manner, and the aperture may also receive means, not shown, by which the container pack age may be carried.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a modified form of the present invention which is similar to the above described structure as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the suffix a added to corresponding elements. This embodiment differs in that the clip member 10a is adapted to connect four rectangularly arranged containers. Thus, in addition to the margins 20a, 22a, and 24a, the body portion 18a is provided with a fourth similar margin 46, and these margins are generally rectangularly arranged. Tabs 48, 50 and 52 which are respectively substantially identical to the tabs 26a, 28a and 30a extend from the margin 46.

From the above description it is seen that the present invention has provided a simple and economical onepiece sheet metal clip which is adapted to traverse the space between a plurality of containers disposed in substantially abutting relationship and arranged around a point for interconnecting the containers in a secure, compact package. In addition, it is seen that the present invention has provided a novel clip which is formed so that it may be easily applied to beads or rims of the containers and which may be subsequently easily deformed by the application of pressure or an impact force into secure interlocking relationship with the container rims.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A package which may be easily handled or stacked comprising at least three cans or the like having rims disposed substantially in abutting relationship and arranged about a point and defining a space therebetween, and a one-piece sheet material clip secured to said rims and detachably securing said cans together, said clip including a generally flat horizontal body portion substantially traversing the space between said cans and having a plurality of margins angularly disposed with respect to each other adjacent portions of said cans defining said space,

first integral sections at each of said margins and confined substantially entirely within said space and engaging beneath the rims of said cans, and second sections integral with each of said margins and extending over and downwardly substantially along inner surfaces of can rim portions immediately adjacent said margins and cooperating with said first sections for retaining the rims therebetween, cooperable first and second sections confining said rims to prevent removal of the rims until the first and second sections have been spread apart.

2. A can package comprising a plurality of cylindrical cans having axially and radially projecting upper and lower rims, a disposable clip securing the cans together as a unit, said clip comprising a substantially planar polygonal-shaped plate having each of its side edges arcuate in shape and each said side edge having portions conforming to and contacting the side of a can beneath the rim thereof, said clip having integral therewith at each edge thereof an upstanding ear which is bent upwardly and over the rim and down along the inner side thereof and terminating approximately in contact with the end wall of the respective can to thereby clamp and secure the cans to the clip.

3. In a package comprising at least three cans arranged vertically and in juxtaposition with the projecting end seams at both ends of each can in abutment with corresponding end seams of the other juxtaposed cans thus leaving an interstice between each group of adjoining sections of the abutting end seams, the combination with said cans of a locking clip disposed at the top of said package and cooperating only with said sections of the end seams to rigidly lock said cans and clip against any movement relative to each other; said clip comprising substantially vertical side wall means disposed in a said interstice and in engagement with peripheral portions of the surrounding seam sections, said side wall means merging at their inner ends into a substantially horizontal body and merging at their outer ends into lip means extending radially outwardly and overlying the outer ends of said seam sections, a plurality of outer lugs spaced equidistantly around the periphery of said lip means and projecting longitudinally and in substantially flat engagement with the interior surfaces of said end seams intermediate points at which said seams abut, and a number of inner lugs projecting outwardly and angularly from said body at the inner end of said vertical side wall means with the edges of the free ends of said inner lugs directed toward and in opposition to corresponding outer lugs and engaging beneath the inner ends of said projecting seams whereby said clip rigidly secures and locks said cans together in a unitary package.

4. A can package comprising a plurality of cylindrical cans having axially and radially projecting rims and being arranged vertically and in juxtaposition with rims of each can substantially abutting rims of other juxtaposed cans thus leaving a space between the cans, and a disposable clip securing the cans together as a unit, said clip comprising a substantially planar plate disposed in said space, a plurality of elements integral with and spaced around the periphery of said plate and presenting edges engaging beneath the can rims, sections integral with and disposed around said plate and extending upwardly therefrom along outer side surfaces of said rims, said sections including portions extending radially outwardly and overlying outer ends of the rims, and a plurality of tabs integral with said radially outwardly extending portions and extending down along and in engagement with inner side surfaces of said rims and cooperating with said elements for clamping the rims and securing the cans to the clip.

5. A package which may be easily handled or stacked comprising at least three cans or the like having rims disposed substantially in abutting relationship and arranged about a point and defining a space therebetween, and a one-piece clip secured to said rims and detachably securing said cans together, said clip including a generally horizontally disposed body portion substantially traversing the space between said cans and having at least three margins angularly disposed with respect to each other adjacent portions of said cans defining said space, first integral sections at each of said margins and confined substantially entirely within said space and engaging beneath the rims of said cans, and second sections integral with each of said margins and extending over and downwardly substantially along inner surfaces of can rim portions immediately adjacent said margins and cooperating with said first sections for retaining the rims therebetween, cooperable first and second sections confining said rims to prevent removal of the rims until the first and second sections have been spread apart.

6. A can package comprising a plurality of cylindrical cans having axially and radially projecting rims and being arranged vertically substantially in juxtaposition with rims of each can substantially abutting rims of other juxtaposed cans thus leaving a space between the cans, and a disposable clip securing said cans together as a unit, said clip comprising a substantially horizontally disposed body in said space, a plurality of elements integral with and spaced around the periphery of said body and presenting edges engaging beneath the can rims, means integral with and disposed around said body and extending upwardly therefrom along outer side surfaces of said rims, said means including portions extending radially outwardly and overlying outer ends of the rims, and a plurality of elements integral with said radially outwardly extending portions and extending down along and in engagement with inner side surfaces of said rims and cooperating with said first mentioned elements for clamping the rims and securing the cans to the clip.

7. A package comprising a plurality of cylindrical containers having axially and radially projecting rims and being arranged vertically in adjacent substantially parallel relationship with rims of each container in close adjacent relationship and leaving a space between the containers, and a disposable clip securing said containers together as a unit, said clip comprising a substantially horizontally disposed body between said containers, a plurality of means integral with and spaced on said body and presenting elongated arcuate edges generally c0nforming to and engaging beneath the container rims along substantial circumferential areas of the rims, means integral with and spaced on said body and including portions extending within said rims, and said portions respectively including elongated arcuate surfaces engaging inner sides of said rims in the vicinity of axially inner ends of the rims, each of said elongated arcuate surfaces being substantially centrally disposed with respect to one of said edge means and cooperating with said edge means for clamping the rims and securing the containers to the clip.

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